Auto-rack railroad cars have been utilized for many years to transport automobiles, light trucks, and other like vehicles over great distances via the railroads. Specifically, the auto-rack railroad car generally is compartmentalized, having at least one level, but in many cases two or three levels, where automobiles may be parked for transport of the same. Typically, to protect the automobiles transported therein, auto-rack railroad cars typically have perforated metal side panels and a roof thereover. Doors for loading and unloading of vehicles are typically found on opposite ends thereof. The levels on which the vehicles sit are typically decks containing a means for securing the vehicles to the decks. An example of a deck for this purpose is a metal floor grating system, and the vehicles' wheels typically rest on the decks, as illustrated in FIG. 1.
Oftentimes, the auto-rack railroad cars provide a relatively small space to hold and transport vehicles. In many cases, vehicles may be placed relatively close to the mesh or perforated side panels and side posts of the railcars. Typically, these side panels and side posts may be made of metal or other like hard structural material. After vehicles are driven into the auto-rack railroad cars, the driver must open the vehicle. Moreover, vehicle doors are opened when drivers must remove the vehicles from the auto-rack railroad cars after transporting the same. However when the doors of the vehicles are opened while inside an auto-rack railroad car, there is a high risk that the doors will contact the metal side panels and/or side posts causing scratches, gouges, dents, or other like damage to the vehicle doors. In many cases, brand new vehicles are transported using auto-rack railroad cars, and damage to the doors caused in this manner typically require repairing of the damage, causing delays. Therefore, a need exists for preventing damage to vehicles transported using auto-rack railroad cars.
Several solutions have been attempted to protect vehicle doors from damage when storing and/or transporting in auto-rack railroad cars. These solutions have included straps, rubber hoses, adhesive tape, spray on foam, and other like elements that are placed on or adjacent the side panels and/or side posts in an attempt to prevent the doors from contacting the side panels. These solutions typically do not provide adequate protection and in many cases the doors may still come into contact with the side panels and/or side posts causing damage to the doors. A need, therefore, exists for improved protection against damage to vehicle doors that may be caused by the contact of the vehicle doors with the side panels and/or side posts of an auto-rack railroad car.
Another solution has been to mount a plastic or rubber, preformed bumper guard onto the side panels and/or side posts of the auto-rack railroad cars to present an alternate contacting surface for the vehicle doors that will not damage the vehicle doors if contacting the same. Prior art bumper guards are shown in FIG. 1. These bumper guards have been used extensively in the industry, but the bumper guards currently in use still suffer from several problems.
It is often difficult to utilize prior art bumper guards universally on side panels of auto-rack railroad cars. Auto-rack railroad cars are not standardized, and the side panels may be made of a mesh or perforated metal sheet. Thus, side panels may come in several types, with varying mesh patterns, perforations or the like, that may make it difficult to mount the bumper guards thereto. A need, therefore, exists for improved bumper guard apparatuses and methods of using the same that may be utilized in a plurality of different side panel types. More specifically, a need exists for improved bumper guard apparatuses and methods of using the same having mounting bases having mounting holes that easily align with mesh or perforations of side panels of auto-rack railroad cars.
Moreover, side panels further are typically not merely metal sheets covering the sides of the auto-rack railroad cars, but may further consist of several frame pieces that together form the side panels, and these elements may not include apertures or holes that may be used to mount something thereto. For example, side panels may include metal members that may form L-shaped flanges that may extend from the side panel, forming spaces between adjacent members. These L-shaped flanges may not include apertures or holes for mounting bumper guards thereto. A need exists, therefore, for bumper guards that may be mountable in locations without apertures or holes for mounting the same thereon.
Moreover, bumper guards are typically required to be placed on side panels in strategic locations to present a contact surface for the vehicle doors if opened. Vehicles are manufactured in many shapes and sizes, and vehicle door size and placement may be different from vehicle to vehicle. Because of this, vehicle doors may not open uniformly, and may potentially contact side panels of auto-rack railroad cars in different locations. Therefore, a need exists for bumper guard apparatuses for auto-rack railroad cars that may be easily placed and mounted in different locations on side panels and/or side posts thereof. Further, a need exists for bumper guard apparatuses for auto-rack railroad cars that may quickly and easily be removed and replaced when necessary.
In addition, typical bumper guard apparatuses may be relatively thin and may not provide adequate protection, especially when utilized in extreme temperatures, such as extreme heat and/or extreme cold. A need exists for bumper guard apparatuses that may easily withstand the elements and extreme temperature changes. For example, bumper guards are typically required to withstand a temperature range of between −40° F. and 130° F.